A necessary step in the process of deciding what type of house you want to buy is to make it clear what is important to you. Do you want a renovated home or live in a good school district? These are the types of things that could make your dream home a nightmare. Below is a checklist to help you define your dream home. Before you start your home search, please use this list to help guide you in the right direction. If you do not define your dream home, then your search will be a lot harder.

It is important to know what you are looking for. Write in your preferences and rate them:   3 = Vital,   2 = Very Important,   1 = Neutral,   0 = Not important

DEFINE YOUR DREAM HOME CHECK LIST

LOCATION	PREFERENCES	RATE
Neighborhood
School district
Near public transportation
Near airport
Near expressway
Near shopping
Great views
TYPE
Single-family / condo / townhome
Minimum / maximum property age
Willingness to renovate
Architectural style
Open floor plan
SIZE & MAKEUP
Minimum # of bedrooms
Minimum # of bathrooms
Eat-in kitchen
Family room
Formal dining room
Formal living room
Garage (number of cars)
Outdoor space (size/use)
Laundry room
AMENITIES
Wood floors / carpeting
Heating / cooling system types
Fireplace
Pool
Other special needs/preferences: